**Title: Reboot of Animal Farming Depends on Farmers Disinfecting**
The future of Cyprus’ livestock farming sector, significantly impacted by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), hinges on the actions of farmers regarding the disinfection of their premises. Christodoulos Pipis, the director of veterinary services, addressed the House agriculture committee on Tuesday, emphasizing that the restart of operations for affected farmers is contingent upon their compliance with necessary sanitation protocols.
Pipis highlighted that delays in resuming business in regions impacted by FMD are largely due to certain livestock farmers neglecting to properly disinfect their facilities. He noted that some farmers, who are contemplating exiting the industry, have not adhered to mandated disinfection measures, thereby hindering the ability of neighboring farms eager to resume operations.
The ongoing FMD outbreak has led to significant livestock losses, with authorities reporting the culling of 52,632 sheep and goats, 24,483 pigs, and 3,018 cattle. This represents approximately 11.5% of the sheep and goat population, 7.8% of pigs, and 3.5% of cattle in the affected areas. To date, a total of 121 farms have tested positive for the disease, underscoring the scale of the outbreak and the urgency for effective containment measures.
Pipis warned that if disinfection efforts are not comprehensive, the risk of re-infection remains high. The veterinary services have limited recourse against non-compliant farmers, primarily able to impose fines or initiate lengthy criminal proceedings, which could take years to resolve.
In response to the challenges posed by non-compliant farmers, a representative from the Union of Municipalities proposed that authorities take the initiative to conduct disinfections and subsequently bill the farm owners for the service. This suggestion aims to expedite the disinfection process and facilitate a quicker return to normal operations for the livestock sector.
Andreas Gregoriou, the permanent secretary of the agriculture ministry, acknowledged that while only a small number of farmers are not cooperating with disinfection efforts, their actions should not impede the overall reboot of livestock farming. He also announced that stakeholders would convene at the presidential palace on Friday to discuss a scientific report outlining strategies for reconstituting the livestock sector. This report, led by a committee chaired by Stavros Malas, proposes significant changes to livestock farming practices in Cyprus.
Among the key recommendations from the report is the need for greater spatial separation between farming units, suggesting a minimum distance of 300 meters. This recommendation stems from findings that 84 of the 121 infected farms were located in close proximity to one another, which contributed to the rapid transmission of FMD.
As the government prepares to address the challenges posed by the outbreak, it faces the prospect of providing substantial compensation to farmers who wish to exit the industry. A roadmap developed by the veterinary services indicates that farms affected by FMD may be allowed to resume operations between November and December, provided that no new cases are reported in the interim.
The situation remains fluid, and the successful reboot of Cyprus’ livestock farming sector will depend heavily on the collective efforts of farmers to comply with disinfection protocols and the government’s ability to implement effective measures to prevent future outbreaks.